Accountability for Sustainable Development in the Context of Local Governance in New Zealand

The paper explores the meaning of accountability for sustainable development in the context of local governance in New Zealand. The analysis is done through interpretation of the Local Government Act and the Resource Management Act that currently regulate local governance in New Zealand. A primary emphasis of the statues is community participation in planning and policy making for sustainable development. The findings indicate that a communitarian approach to accountability acquires meaning in the context of the local government statues. Communitarian and environmental sustainability ideologies encompass the statues to provide a holistic meaning for accountability. Key features of the communitarian approach to accountability include emphasis on community priorities and responsibilities, communal processes and reporting and information sharing to local communities. The paper contributes to the theoretical development of a communitarian approach to accountability for sustainable development